How to answer an essay question
Or… how to write an analytical essay
STEP ONE!
REMIX THE “marking criteria” - RUBRIC
__________________________________________________
• demonstrate understanding of a text’s distinctive qualities
and how these shape meaning
• organise, develop and express ideas using language
appropriate to audience, purpose and form
___________________________________________________
demonstrate knowledge and analysis skill in naming and
explaining a text’s language forms and features… and how
these show the ideas, concerns, characters and events in the
text
STEP 1 = Remix the rubric:
• Understanding = knowledge / interpretation / opinion /
point-of view / attitude
• The hero = a person who is honest, genuine, and who does
the “right thing even when it’s difficult = INTEGRITY
• Context = within the limits or expectations of the English
course (the subject of English)
• Analyse = pull it apart – see how it works
• Explain = put it back together and describe in detail how it
works
• Assess = weigh-up whether or not the techniques /
structure actually works well.
• The ways =
• Ideas =
• Represented =
The first dot-point of the rubric
is the blue-print (map) for the
thesis statement of your essay
Now… for the essay question…
In The Castle, how does the director* represent his
perspective about heroes in times of conflict?
In your answer, you must name, analyse and explain the
effect of specific film and language techniques which are
used in The Castle
*Rob Stitch
• organise, develop and express ideas using
language appropriate to audience, purpose
and form (2nd dot point from the “marking
criteria” rubric)
STEP 2 – UNPACK THE QUESTION
• HOW = what language/film forms and features
• PERSPECTIVE = viewpoint / view / evaluation /
opinion / side
• HERO = an individual who is honourable,
courageous, honest and selfless / leader /
“champion”
• CONFLICT = difficult situation / war / battle /
argument / difference of opinion / struggle /
disagreement
What is HUMAN CONFLICT?
• inner conflict within a person
• a difference of opinion between 2 people
• a difference of values and beliefs among
different groups of people (Govt. and public)
• When one person of group challenges
another person or group
• A violent fight between individuals, groups or
countries
STEP 3 – REWRITE THE QUESTION IN THE FULL…
PLAIN-ENGLISH… VERSION:
In The Castle, what film and
language techniques does Rob
Stitch use to show his views on
what it means to be a real hero
in a difficult situation.
STEP 4 – WRITE THE THESIS STATEMENT
THESIS STATEMENT
STEP 4 – WRITE THE THESIS STATEMENT
Example 1.
In The Castle, Rob Stitch (director) uses a variety of
film and language techniques to represent his
perspective about an ordinary Australian bloke who
becomes a real hero in a time of conflict.
STEP 5. Check your thesis statement to
make
sure
it
“matches”
the
rubric!
__________________________________________
• demonstrate knowledge and analysis skill in naming and
explaining a text’s language forms and features… and how
these show the ideas, concerns, characters and events in the
text
_____________________________________
Example 1.
In The Castle, Rob Stitch (director) uses a variety of film and language
techniques to represent the idea that an ordinary Australian bloke can be
a real hero in time of conflict?
Essay Question – “The Hero”
_______________________________________
In your answer, you will be assessed on how well
you:
• Express understanding of ideas about “the hero”
in the context of your study
• Analyse, explain and assess the ways that the
ideas about “the hero” are represented in a
variety of texts
• Organise, develop and express ideas using
language appropriate to audience, purpose and
form
__________________________________________
STEP 2 = Unpack the question
How does the film The Castle (by Rob Stitch) support the
idea that a hero can be anyone who is truly honest,
genuine and selfless?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How =
Support =
Idea =
The hero =
Honest =
Genuine =
Selfless = doesn’t do things just to get attention / doesn’t take all the
credit when he wins / fights for what is best for all people – not just
him/herself.
STEP 3 = Re-write the question in the
longest – simplest form…
• What film techniques are used in The Castle to
show the point-of-view that a person who has
heroic qualities can be anyone who is truthful,
loyal, not fake and who doesn’t think “it’s all
about me”?
• Who in the film is a “hero”?
• What does he do that is truthful?
• What does he do that shows he is not fake?
• What does he do that shows it “not all about
him”?
• Who in the film is a “hero”? Darryl Kerrigan and Mr
Hamil
• What does he do that is truthful? The scene where he
“admits” that a lot of the “features” of his house are
actually fake.
• What does he do that shows he is not fake? The scene
where he refuses to do what the government want him
to do. He sticks to his guns and golds onto his beliefs
when he refuses to sign the papers to give-up his
house.
• What does he do that shows it “not all about him”?
The scene where Darryl thinks he’s let everyone down.
The fianl scene of the celebratory house party when
everyone is congratulating Darryl – and he says that it
was everyone else…
STEP 4 = write a thesis statement
STEP 4 = write a thesis statement
How do you start your thesis statement? Where
do you start?
You go back to the question!
Use the words in the actual essay question and –
use these words (plus your own from your
“unpacked” bank of words) and write the answer
to the question.
Turn this question into a
THESIS STATEMENT…
How does the film The Castle (by Rob Stitch)
support the idea that a hero can be anyone who
is truly honest, genuine and selfless?
Your THESIS STATEMENT is the “glue” that
holds your essay together.
If you DON’T keep going-back to your THESIS
STATEMENT… you will end up going “off track” and
you’ll start “waffling on about the story… instead
of analysing the techniques.
If you DO keep going back to your THESIS
STATEMENT… you’re essay will be well-structured
and you will answer the question clearly and
accurately.
Film techniques used in The Castle
• Voice-over narration –
– allows the viewer to hear the story from the
perspective of the narrator
– The audience hears and “takes-on” the opinions
and ideas of the narrator
Film techniques used in The Castle
• Eye-level shots –
– Positions the audience to feel like they are on the
“same level” as the characters in the film
– Creates a realistic feel to the film – which makes
the characters seem more realistic and “relatable”
• Repetition of internal shots
– Dinner table scenes, and “trading post” scenes…
creates a sense that the family value these parts
of their lives. That family being together in their
“castle” is important
Film techniques used in The Castle
• Language style –
– Vernacular: Australian catch-phrases and slang - to
show the characters as being working-class
Australians
– Short simple sentences and one-syllable words:
from Darryl and the narrator – to show that the
characters say what they mean in a simple and
straightforward way. This makes them seem
honest – they’re not hiding anything with complex
words or sentence structure
Film techniques used in The Castle
• Costuming –
– Casual and mass-produced non-label clothing – to
show that the characters are working class
– 80’s style hair styles and “stone wash” highwaisted” jeans – to show that narrative is set in
the 1980s and that the characters conform to the
fashion of the working/middle-class
Film techniques used in The Castle
• Contrast –
• Costuming = the Kerrigans and Mr Danuto Vs the Court
staff and Mr Hamil
• Mis-en-scene = the “castle” and the High Court
• Characters = the different characters who live on the
same street (age, gender, race)
• Boonydoon Vs The Castle
• The “castle” and the gaol